Cool tool: DIREKT Whisk

by Terry B on January 3, 2007

Don’t you love when you find a kitchen tool that not only works great, but is dirt cheap? This whisk is one of those tools. Unlike regular balloon whisks, which are great for mixing big bowls of stuff, this one concentrates lots of mixing action in a small area. Its flat mixing head makes it perfect for whisking something into shallow liquid in a sauté pan, for instance.

I’ve seen similar versions made of tightly coiled metal, but the business end of the DIREKT Whisk is made of heat-resistant plastic—that means it won’t scratch non-stick surfaces. Its long, curving stainless handle keeps your knuckles out of harm’s way. And at a mere $1.99 at IKEA, it’s a steal. Unfortunately, while they show it on their website, you can only buy it in the store—by the time you add shipping and handling to a two buck item, I guess they figure it’s not worth it. Although personally, it would be to me.

I used it a few nights ago when I was making a chicken and mushroom dish with a sauce. The sauce wasn’t thickening, so I browned some flour in a little butter and olive oil in a separate skillet. When I added water and started stirring, it immediately became a mass of tiny lumps. My first solution was to let loose with an impressive string of curse words [if you’ve read About Blue Kitchen, you already know that’s my first solution anytime something goes wrong in the kitchen]. When that didn’t work, I grabbed the DIREKT Whisk. In moments, it tamed the lumps into a velvety smooth liquid that I was then able to whisk into the mustard cream sauce I was making.

Okay, your turn. What modest little kitchen tool makes you glad you bought it [or made it, inherited it or got it as a gift] every time you reach for it? We’re not talking big ticket items here—no Viking ranges or even food processors. Just something basic and cheap but utterly indispensable for what it does for you.

I agree with Tanya about silicon spatulas. But, I also love the ancient German potato masher that my mom gave me. She got it from an elderly woman from Germany and it’s so well made, it puts modern mashers to shame.

I would love one of these! Unfortunately, the closest store is 35 or 40 miles away. There are times I WOULD be willing to pay shipping and handling on their less expensive items.

Tanya beat me to it (by seven years) but my favorite kitchen tool is a silicon spatula. I use it to mix up any and every kind of batter, to scramble eggs, to flip French toast and bacon, and on and on.